Bradshaw...is the jury still out?

[Legs Akimbo]

Mark Stevens of the HUN

Looking back's no way forward | Herald Sun

I had assumed at the time that getting Bradshaw helped us reach our minimum salary cap (Mumford got a hefty deal too). Is the decision to get him, if judged today, a poor one? By all accounts he's a champion bloke and clubman and the argument at the time was that he could educate our younger forwards. On the other hand, he's costing us $100,000 + per game and tying up coin while GWS is sniffing around.

[laughingnome]

I don't know if I would consider it poor, but if one looks purely at time spent on the park then so far it has been a long way from ideal. Bradshaw has no doubt he's up to the task (his vitriol directed at Voss is testament to that), and maybe this year and next will be much improved. Even the Hun, so quick to sensationalise a grain of sand, holds off and doesn't pass judgement yet. I think it would be remiss of me to not do the same.

Lets just see how it pans out. I remain hopeful and cite our recruiting staff; seems to me they have a pretty good idea of what they're doing.

[AnnieH]

I can't wait to drag this thread up at the end of the season when Braddles wins best and fairest.

[Legs Akimbo]

I can't wait to drag this thread up at the end of the season when Braddles wins best and fairest.

Now that you have said this, I can't wait to drag it up when he doesn't

[ShockOfHair]

Now Mickey O's gone, someone had to take over the non-training forward role.

[liz]

He cost zilch at the trade table. Until we lose a young player we'd rather keep purely because they can't be accomodated under the salary cap, it is hard to say that the club has suffered by taking Bradshaw.

Very different circumstances to the BLions' Fevola trade, given they gave up a pick in the high teens, and a player who had been a top 10 draft pick a couple of years earlier, pissed off two players they dangled as trade bait, plus got themselves into salary cap problems that must have contributed to their end of season losses.

[jono2707]

Hmmm it would be interesting to drag up some of those 'let's get Fev' threads......

[Go Swannies]

Hmmm it would be interesting to drag up some of those 'let's get Fev' threads......

But wasn't that just for the Club Champion dinner? Annie and Fev partying together - I'd pay to see that!

If it was to play for the Swans, we would have had to have a formal "End of the No Dickheads Policy Party" and I can't imagine what Fev would have got up to at that.

I wonder how Charlie Sheen would go at FF?

[stellation]

I wonder how Charlie Sheen would go at FF?

Nah, he's Richmond through and through.

[Hartijon]

He cost zilch at the trade table. Until we lose a young player we'd rather keep purely because they can't be accomodated under the salary cap, it is hard to say that the club has suffered by taking Bradshaw.

Very different circumstances to the BLions' Fevola trade, given they gave up a pick in the high teens, and a player who had been a top 10 draft pick a couple of years earlier, pissed off two players they dangled as trade bait, plus got themselves into salary cap problems that must have contributed to their end of season losses.

What a decision! Heads should have rolled over it and I still have to laugh how we benefitted from The Lions stupidity and shallowness of recruiting. Voss was a Champion player and thats it.

[ShockOfHair]

The Voss debacle is why Essendon decided they had to get Bomber Thompson as adult supervision for Hird. Voss didn't even consult his board over the Fev recruitment.

I agree the jury is slightly out on Braddie. If he plays more than a dozen games both this year and next we're ahead.

[Triple B]

This is the bottom line, top line, middle line....

...with room to move in the salary cap, were able to offer overs.

/thread.

[Posman]

I think his experience is a valuable asset around the young forwards, but not sure it's worth 1.5 big ones. He needs to play most of this season and kick around 40-50 goals to prove it was worthwhile getting him. With a fit Bradshaw firing and accurate and plentiful supply into the forward line we'll go all the way this year.

[Hartijon]

I think his experience is a valuable asset around the young forwards, but not sure it's worth 1.5 big ones. He needs to play most of this season and kick around 40-50 goals to prove it was worthwhile getting him. With a fit Bradshaw firing and accurate and plentiful supply into the forward line we'll go all the way this year.

A degenerative knee from my understanding is ,for want of a better way of describing it ,a buggered kneejoint. Its not too disimilar to Hip Dysplasia in dogs where plenty of surrounding strength of the tendons and muscle tissue can hold a worn bone in place and you can get reasonable movement.Bradshaw has been developing "surround strength" through running and exercise. Unless he has had an operation the knee is still buggered but may stand up to play now whereas 6months ago it couldn't. It has a "use by date" however and we are on borrowed time with him. Out with the cotton wool and the ice baths! This is a Micky O scenario all over again.If we get 40 goals over two years it was worth it. Come finals time however, The knee could be found wanting.

[Cheer Squad]

I was opposed to taking Bradshaw because I thought he'd break down too often, given his age and knee condition.

That's basically what has happened. And there's no evidence to suggest things will be any different this year. In fact, you can guarantee he will break down again. It's just a matter of time.

Remember last year's semi-final against the Bulldogs? That's when we really needed him to perform - and he couldn't. I still think we should have omitted him from that line-up, and put our faith in the team that won the thriller against Carlton the week before.